GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEWS
Another highlight of Two Graves is that the graphic novel features girl power . There are four strong women of color including the main character . Their conflict adds action to the story and helps Emilia understand where she fits into this world of ever-encroaching mortality . Their interaction also defines a subplot about sacrifices for power .
Two Graves Volume One : Wish You Were Here is recommended for ages 18 + as the graphic novel deals with heavy themes of death , murder , morality , depression , loneliness , and loss . Each chapter ends with magazine clippings that ponder what living and dying means , which slow the story and disrupt the plot . Two Graves is a modern myth about what living and dying mean with a thoughtful plot , enjoyable characters , and fantastic art .
Best for fans of Neil Gaiman ’ s The Sandman series and Gerard Way ’ s The Umbrella Academy . narrative with Sanny ’ s fourth wall breaks , addressing us readers to offer both insight and recapping of events . The artwork excels in its depiction of Mayan culture but loses some steam on character differentiation .
The ending is shocking and will provide an interesting beginning to the sequel . Whether or not you choose to see what happens next is completely up to you .
Ages 18 + for graphic violence and nudity .
Chupacabra : Tales Of Blood & Ink Published by : Gungnir Entertainment Written by : Matthew Medney Illustrated by : Kyle Faehnrich ISBN : 9781962594011 Ages : 18 +
There are plenty of mythical beasts and legends known . A more modern of these creatures , presented back in 1995 , is that of the chupacabra . Translated as “ goat sucker ”, this beast typically will attack livestock in a vampiric manner .
Author Matthew Medney chooses to imagine this legend in a totally different way . Linking it to both Mayan heritage and secret societies , Chupacabra : Tales of Blood and Ink tells the story of a young girl , Sanny , who is a reporter investigating her father ’ s murder . She believes that his death was facilitated by an Illuminati-like group called Chupacabra . This cult has not only been responsible for many missing persons , but regularly summons a beast via a hell portal who gets both violent and vulgar with members .
This story is not for the faint of heart , not only because of its occasionally graphic content , but also breaks the
A Pillbug Story Published by : Black Panel Press Written by : Allison Conway Illustrated by : Allison Conway ISBN : 9781990521218 Ages : 12 +
A day in the life of anyone often passes much like most . Time with friends , family , work , some food and drink , relaxation , entertainment , and eventually sleep . When such normalism is presented in literary form , we call it “ slice of life .” Where the author has tapped into something unique , is that it is presented from the perspective of insects .
Millie is a pillbug ( technically a crustacean , yes , but her discovery of that is part of the story ), who enjoys spending time with her friends : a ladybug - Alfie , a spider with tons of kids - Holly , an ant over obsessed with aphids - Ruby , and a dragonfly - Ellie . They have tea parties , hang out at the playground , discuss their dreams … slice of life at its best . One scene is too hilarious not to mention : the “ ladies ” go to the beach and the lifeguard must call for everyone to hide when a frog shows up .
Allison Conway ( The Lab , So Much to Do ) transfers her previously online published stories into a collection here in A Pillbug Story . If you enjoy slice of life stories , you will love the quirky twist on it brought out here . The illustrations are very cute and cozy and should be enjoyed by all . Slight warning though … bugs can be gross in how they live and eat .
Ages 12 +
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